Coronavirus czar Nachman Ash at Ben Gurion Airport on March 1, 2021. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Israel’s coronavirus czar Professor Nachman Ash said Saturday that, despite suggestions to the contrary, Israel has not reached herd immunity and expressed concerns about a new “Indian variant” found in the country.
Speaking Saturday during a TV panel, Ash said that even though over five million people in Israel have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and another nearly one million have recovered from the disease, “it is not enough.”
“We need to reach about 75 percent [of the population] having been vaccinated and/or recovered to reach herd immunity, but we are seeing low morbidity data,” explained Ash.
Netanyahu's party accuses Gantz of wanting to 'bring back the lockdowns'; Gantz says he'll approve deal if PM stops blocking appointment of permanent justice minister
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu touches the first batch of Pfizer vaccines to arrive in Israel at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, December 9, 2020. (Marc Israel Sellem/Pool)
Pfizer is threatening to delay further shipments of vaccines to Israel over a delay in payments, reportedly warning that the Jewish state could go the back of the line if it does not pay up, Channel 12 reported Friday.
Pfizer said Monday it had completed all vaccine deliveries to Israel under its initial agreement and was working on a new deal to supply more doses to the Jewish state.
“The company is currently working with the Israeli government to update the agreement, to supply additional vaccines to the country. While this work continues, shipments may be adjusted,” Pfizer told the Reuters news agency.
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